News archive 2022

INESC MN researchers awarded 'Portugal 2022 eAward' 

Multiresistant bacteria detection project “BACTOMETER” received 'Portugal 2022 eAward' from the NTT DATA FOUNDATION. The project team is composed of researchers from INESC MN and INESC-ID: Débora de Albuquerque, Ruben Afonso, Ana Rita Soares and Diogo Caetano, all alumni from Instituto Superior Técnico.

«The team would also like to acknowledge all the support from HiSeedTech without which it would have been impossible to reach this stage» - Diogo Caetano

You can read more about this award here 

September 2022

INESC MN 2022 Seminar Series - Marta Almeida  - 13 September 16h00 - Lisbon time

When: September 13, 2022 @ 16h00 Lisbon time

Where: Auditorium 9  INESC or online here

Assessment of Human Exposure to Air Pollution to Change the Way People Live in Cities 

Dr. Marta Almeida, Principal Investigator, Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nuclear / IST

Moderator: Katharina Lorenz, INESC MN

ABSTRACT: Air quality management policies, aiming at protecting the citizens' health, are based on ambient concentration levels, assessed by national air quality measurement networks, assuming that the corresponding

monitoring stations are representative of the population exposure across a given city. However, ambient outdoor concentrations may lead to exposure misclassification, which is likely to be determined by the individual's time

activity profiles including time spent in indoor environments. Since people spend about 90% of their time indoors, individual's exposure to air pollutants is dominated by indoor air quality, which is affected by both the building and vehicles characteristics and indoor pollution sources. Assessing the integrated exposure to air pollutants and reducing their concentration in all microenvironments will conduct to substantial and immediate gains in public health, saving millions of lives, and will also contribute for mitigating and adapting to climate change.

September 2022

Workshop September 14, 2022 ICBAS UP

Occult Hepatitis C in Different Clinical Settings: Detection, Characterization and Diagnostic Tools (OCIDIAGONOSIS)

More info here

September 2022

INESC MN 2022 Seminar Series - Dr Jordi Madrenas

When: July 22, 2022 @ 16h00 Lisbon time

Where: Auditorium 9  @ INESC

Spiking Neural Hardware for Edge Computing and Internet of Things 

Jordi Madrenas, Professor, Intelligent Sensors and Integrated Systems (IS2, former ISSET) group, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona (Spain)

Moderator: Susana Cardoso de Freitas, INESC MN

Abstract: Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs), considered the third generation of neural networks, are becoming more and more relevant to Machine Learning applications. They offer bioinspired computation based on local adaptation and plasticity and eventual biological compatibility, which makes them well-suited not only to general engineering but also to biomedical applications.

SNNs demand large number of units and synapses, thus intensive computation. In order to preserve the real-time response property, general computing platforms and software implementations are not suited: The Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) is normally oversized and power consumption is not efficiently limited and the parallelism degree is too low. Also, the system size limits the application of SNNs to embedded systems, Internet of Things (IoT) applications or edge computing. Thus, it is necessary to count with efficient hardware that helps software engineers and neuroscientists in the fast verification of experimental prototypes.

In the seminar, the HEENS (Hardware Emulator of Evolvable Neural Spiking systems) architecture and development software is presented, together with SNN FPGA implementation examples, and its application for smart sensor processing.

June 2022

INESC MN 2022 Seminar Series - Dr. Jordi Madrenas

When: July 20, 2022 @ 16h00 Lisbon time

Where: Auditorium 9  INESC

CMOS-MEMS Design: Devices and Sensor Conditioning 

Jordi Madrenas, Professor, Intelligent Sensors and Integrated Systems (IS2, former ISSET) group, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona (Spain)

Moderator: Susana Cardoso de Freitas, INESC MN

Abstract: Following the miniaturization trend, today’s sensing elements are generally implemented as Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) devices, using specialized micro-machining processes, while the dedicated integrated circuit interfaces of commercial sensors are manufactured using CMOS technology, the most common form of mass-production semiconductor device fabrication. Thus, the CMOS circuitry and the MEMS are not monolithic and must be combined in a single package. Integrating CMOS electronics and MEMS devices on a single chip (CMOS-MEMS) is challenging but has the potential of reducing fabrication costs, size, parasitics and power consumption, compared to other approaches. In this seminar, the research activity carried out by the IS2 group on integrated MEMS development on standard CMOS is presented. The technology to micromachine sensors on BEOL (Back End of Line) by means of wet and dry etching release is introduced, as well as the development of electrostatic devices. Several developed sensors are presented, including accelerometers, air pressure sensors and magnetometers.  Issues on integration and signal conditioning for the presented sensors are also introduced. Our common experience with INESC MN and UV on GMR CMOS magnetic sensors will also be briefly pointed out as a post-CMOS MEMS example.

June 2022

INESC MN 2022 Seminar Series - Dr Ibrahim Abdulhalim

July 12, 2022 @ 14h00 Lisbon time

Sala de Formação Avançada do DF

(Sala 2-8.11 - 2º Piso do Pavilhão de Física) @ Physics Department, Técnico ULisboa 

Methods and Devices for Enhancing the Performance of Plasmonic Biosensors, Imaging Systems and Energy Saving Devices 

Dr Ibrahim Abdulhalim, Ben Gurion University & Photonicsys Ltd

Moderator: Susana Cardoso de Freitas, INESC MN 

Abstract: In this lecture I will review some of my research activities in three different interrelated fields: (i) Plasmonic sensors, (ii) Liquid crystal devices, and (iii) Imaging systems.  Liquid crystal devices developed and integrated into imaging systems and in plasmonic sensing setups.  Applications demonstrated range from smart windows to polarimetric and spectral imaging for diagnostics such as skin cancer, to miniature instruments such as portable surface plasmon resonance sensor suitable for point of care with unique properties such as the application of magnetic field, self-reference and engineered penetration depth, to 3D real time imaging system, to compact spectroscopic ellipsometer, to ultrahigh local optical field enhancement for SERS and SEF sensors, and to infrared single pixel camera.  Open topics for future collaboration will be presented.

June 2022

Academia de Ciências de Lisboa - member election

João Pedro Conde has been elected “membro efectivo” of the Academia de Ciências de Lisboa  on 26 May 2022.

June 2022

INESC MN in BESSY-II

Dr. Mustafa Erkovan from INESC MN received two weeks beam time from Electron Storage Ring BESSY II for 2022 fall term. 

The accepted proposals are:  

• Coupling mechanisms in tunable spin valve system. (24 – 30 October)

Research Team: Susana Cardoso, Mariana Caseiro, Sofia Abrunhosa, Matko Kandzija, Radu Abrudan.  

• Tuning the magnetic exchange coupling in magnetic semiconductor doped ferromagnet. (28 November – 04 December)
  Research Team: Katherina Lorentz, Matko Kandzija, Radu Abrudan, Yasser Shokr, Naim Aslan.  

June 2022

INESC MN is hiring!

INESC MN is currently accepting applications from young engineers/researchers with a Master degree in Physics, Mechanical or Electrical Engineering, for contract work in projects related with sensors and microelectronics.

The candidates should have good knowledge in thin film materials and processing, microfabrication, sensor design, sensor characterization/qualification or system integration.

We offer an exciting work environment, and competitive salary level (depending on the candidate experience).

For more details please contact Susana Freitas

June 2022

INESC MN at the 3rd Edition of the Open Days of LNEC Laboratories - LNEC, 9 June

“Labs and the challenges of time” the 3rd Edition of the “LNEC Laboratories Open Day” will take place at LNEC (Lisbon, Portugal), on 9 June 2022, on the occasion of the World Accreditation Day and the 75th anniversary of LNEC.

Among the events offered by LNEC and RELACRE-Associação de Laboratórios Acreditados de Portugal:

🗓 9 June 2022, 9:45 -10:15 WEST

📌 Creating the miniaturized laboratories of the future

Vania Silverio, Ph.D. | R&D Microfluidics Scientist | INESC MN Microsistemas e Nanotecnologias

💻 Watch it live in English: https://lnkd.in/etx6E4qk

Program here. 

For in-person participation, registration is free but mandatory here.

May 2022

INESC Lisboa – Identifying synergies · 2022/04/27  

INESC Lisboa — Synergies, a seminar several months in the making, took place in Lisbon today.

In a day packed full of cross-disciplinary talks and poster sessions on Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering, Microsystems and Nanotechnology and Innovation in Information and Communication Technologies, INESC Lisboa — Synergies brought together one-hundred researchers from INESC Lisboa and its three Lisbon-based INESC institutions: INESC-ID, INESC MN and INOV.

INESC Lisboa — Synergies aimed to explore internal synergies and explore R&D and innovation impact, strengthening the external visibility of all three technology powerhouses based on their many common strengths.

INESC Lisboa is the joint initiative launched in 2020 representing INESC-ID, INESC MN and INOV: an ecosystem for research, engineering and innovation.

April 2022

"Metrology Challenges for Microfluidics" is at CMM, the Commercial Micro Manufacturing Magazine

Our work on "Metrology Challenges for Microfluidics" by Henne van Heeren (enablingMNT Group), Vania Silverio (INESC MN), Christina Pecnik (IMT Microtechnologies) and Elsa Batista (Portuguese Institute of Quality - IPQ), is on CMM Magazine.

Standardisation of performance characteristics is needed for the different classes of microfluidics components, including test conditions, measurement protocols and guidelines; because, so far, each microfluidics product is tested according to its own protocol, making generalising the result and bringing that information back to the design and fabrication stages difficult.

Read the full article here

Know more about Establishing Metrology Standards in Microfluidic Devices - MFMET here and here

April 2022

INESC MN 2022 Summer Internships

We are offering the possibility for interested students to be involved in our work during the months of summer.

See the topics and how to apply here 

April 2022

18HLT08 MeDD II project supports the adoption of best practice flow metrology in standards

Infusion pumps provide measured dosing of many drug therapies for patients, including lifesaving or life-sustaining medications. Such pumps deliver medications at programmed rates, but incorrect doses can occur, meaning maintaining accurate and precise control of flow rates is critical for patient safety, not least as the use of infusion pumps is so widescale. 18HLT08 MeDD II, in which our researcher Vania Silverio is involved, is supporting the definition of standards for flow metrology.

Read more about 18HLT08 MeDD II project outputs here and  at https://drugmetrology.com 

18HLT08 MeDD II project is co-funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and the EMPIR Participating States.

April 2022

INESC MN 2022 Seminar Series - Elisabete Fernandes - 8 April 16h00 Lisbon time

How microfluidics can play an important role in emergency medicine?
Dr Elisabete Fernandes, International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL) and National Geographic, Portugal
Moderator: Susana Cardoso de Freitas, INESC MN

Abstract: Time is crucial in stroke treatment, where delays have a tremendous impact on patient outcomes. For acute cases, intravenous thrombolysis with tissue plasminogen activator is the unique approved systemic reperfusion treatment. However, its administration has a narrow time-window (≤4.5 h after stroke onset). We developed a low-cost and simple operation microfluidic (MF) chip to aid patient stratification for thrombolytic treatment. This fully portable and pump-free microfluidic chip is operated based on capillary attractions without any external power source, or battery, and allows to enhance the magnetic labeling efficiency of two relevant ischemic stroke biomarkers: cellular fibronectin and matrix metallopeptidase 9. By using this approach, the specific targets are labeled from the beginning of the sampling process without preliminary sample purification. The proposed study enhanced the labeling efficiency from 1 h to 15 min, and when combined with a detection system can potentially be used as an integrated component of a point-of-care platform.

Auditorium/Room 9 @ INESC or online
Registration here

April 2022

INESC Institutes in Full Solidarity with War Displaced Researchers

Across INESC we strongly believe in science as a driver of peace, inclusion and a better world. That is why, with more than 40 nationalities from all over the world collaborating and sharing knowledge, culture and creativity across the 5 INESC institutes, we want to express our support to all those affected by the war in Ukraine.

Nearly 50 thousand Ukrainians are living in Portugal currently, and in the past few days, nearly 2 thousand more asked for support and residence in our country. We remain open to supporting the integration of researchers who have/had to leave Ukraine, in any of our areas of expertise. See the links and contact details below for further information.

INESC Coimbra | INESC ID | INOV | INESC MN | INESC TEC | INESC Brussels HUB

March 2022

International Women's Day (March 8)

On International Women's Day, Instituto Superior Técnico launched a social media iniciative using hashtag #MulheresNoTécnico to promote the professional route of 10 women researchers, they were able to share their stories: 

FB: https://www.facebook.com/tecnico.ulisboa.pt/posts/10158701046892882  
TW: https://twitter.com/istecnico/status/1501143658980065282
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca1xXr2o1Sg/
Insta 2: https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca19bX8I6UR/ 

March 2022

Deep Tech: Driving the Digital Transition - Microsystems and Nanotech with Susana Cardoso Freitas (INESC MN)

The 9th and last episode in the Deep Tech series features Susana Cardoso Freitas, Director at INESC MN. The series is divided into 3 parts (3 podcasts in each part):

• In Part 1 we explored how can Deep tech reshape the future of R&I;
• Part 2 was dedicated to the Green Transition;
• Part 3 is dedicated to Digital Transformation.

The three parts of this deep tech podcasts series are widely disseminated in all the major podcast platforms (Google podcasts, Apple podcasts, Spotify and others) as well through the INESC and Science Business websites, newsletters and social networks. Listen, download and/or subscribe to get immediate access to this episode and all others in the Deep Tech series. Future episodes of “The Insider” will address the most important issue in EU R&I today and bring you first hand information and the opportunity to hear fellow decision-makers, researchers and research managers!

Access it here

February 2022

INESC MN 2022 Seminar Series - Wolfgang Kuch - 25 February 16h00 Lisbon time

Ultrafast spin transfer in layered magnetic heterostructures
Dr Wolfgang Kuch, Institut für Experimentalphysik, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
Moderator: Mustafa Erkovan, INESC MN

Abstract: Controlling magnetic order at high speeds requires the ultrafast manipulation of the spin degree of freedom, a central goal of spintronics.

Changing from field-induced manipulation of magnetic order, where speed is limited by spin precession dynamics, to manipulation by ultrashort light pulses could enhance the speed significantly. Magnetic heterostructures consisting of layers with different spin order provide an additional degree of freedom to tune the response of the system to ultrafast laser pulses.

I will present two examples of heterostructures composed of ultrathin epitaxial antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic layers, measured by time- and element-resolved x-ray magnetic circular dichroism in reflectivity: The first is Co/NiMn bilayers, in which the ultrafast demagnetization of the Co layer is accelerated by the antiferromagnetic order in the NiMn layer. The second is Co/Mn multilayers, where we observe a transient ferromagnetic alignment of the otherwise antiferromagnetic Mn layers, induced by ultrashort laser pulses. 

Work supported by DFG (Sfb/TRR 227) and carried out together with I. Kumberg, E. Golias, N. Pontius, P. M. Oppeneer, S. Sharma, R. Hosseinifar, I. Gelen, J. Gördes, T. Shinwari, S. Thakur, C. Schüßler-Langeheine, J. K. Dewhurst, Q. Guillet, and K. Frischmuth

Online: registration here

February 2022

Free access to INESC MN facilities via NFFA.EU

The NFFA-Europe Research Infrastructure is an open-access resource offering users from a wide array of fields the possibility to carry out multidisciplinary research at the nano and the microscale. Users have at their disposal advanced facilities ranging from synthesis and the functionalization of new materials to the characterisation of physical, chemical, electromagnetical and morphological properties. The facilities and services offered are fully interoperable and integrated into a single research infrastructure distributed throughout Europe. More than 600 state-of-the art instruments, as well as support for the analysis of experimental data are available to European and international users entirely free of charge. Furthermore, a financial contribution for travel, accommodation and subsistence costs is available as well. 

Free access to our facilities can be supported as a user project via NFFA-Europe | Pilot - more info here

February 2022

INESC MN is in BESSY-II

Dr. Mustafa Erkovan from INESC MN goes to Electron Storage Ring BESSY II with AG Kuch research group from Freie University Berlin, between 24-30 January 2022. The study devotes to investigate the magnetization dynamics in magnetic trilayers with antiferromagnetic spacer layer at ultrafast timescales.

January 2022

INESC MN 2022 Seminar Series - Dr. Manuel Pereira - January 14, 2022  @ 16h00 Lisbon time

INESC MN 2022 Seminar Series
January 14, 2022 @ 16h00 Lisbon time
Registration here 

Renewable Energies and the path towards Sustainable Development
Dr Manuel Collares Pereira
Moderator: João Pedro Conde, INESC MN

Abstract:
The presentation starts by defining Sustainable Development and introduces the subject of Climatic Change as being the clearest manifestation of the deep lack of sustainability caused by the way we live. The use of fossil fuels based energy is shown as being directly responsible for Climate Change, implying the need for their substitution by alternative and renewable energy forms, a change that must happen to get us on a path towards sustainable development. The relevance of electricity in the transition is explained, as well as how it can be produced from renewable energies. Other topics, like energy sufficiency and energy efficiency are discussed. It is noted that the solution to the problem is not just technological but requires a new culture, since there is an  important cultural dimension in any behavioral change. And a behavioral change (individual and collective) is a necessary condition for a sustainable future. In the course of the presentation the main targets of the National and European Energy targets are presented and commented, in particular in their alignment with climate change/mitigation objectives.

January 2022